Electrical control mechanism



Jan. 17, 1956 A. J. COBERT ELECTRICAL CONTROL MECHANISM 2 SheIts Sheet 1 Original Filed June 21, 1952 FIG ,INVENTOR.

ARTHUR J. COBERT ATTORNEY Jan. 17, 1956 A. J. COBERT 2,731,572

ELECTRICAL CONTROL MECHANISM Original Filed June 21, 1952 zysheetksheet 2 INVENTOR.

ARTHUR J. COBERT ATTORNEY United States Patent fiice 2,731,572 Patented Jan. 17, 1956 ELECTRICAL CONTROL MECHANISM Arthur J. Cobert, Chattanooga, Tenn.

Original application June 21, 1952, Serial No. 294,804. Divided and this application March 30, 1953, Serial No. 345,441

12 Claims. (Cl. 307-112) This invention relates to electrical control mechanism, and more particularly to electrical control mechanism which is especially useful in controlling the operation of knitting machines and other complicated machines where various steps are performed in timed relation with the operation with the machine, this electrical control mechanism replacing the mechanical pattern control mechanisms found on prior art machines.

This application constitutes a division of my copending application, Serial No. 294,804, filed June 21, 1952, for Automatic Welt Turning Apparatus, wherein the electrical control mechanism herein claimed was shown in combination with a straight bar knitting machine having automatic welt turning apparatus incorporated therein.

It is an object of my invention to provide electrical control mechanism which is completely automatic in its operation to control a straight bar knitting machine, or the like.

Another object of my invention is to provide electrical control mechanism in which the pattern forming operations of a straight bar knitting machine, or the like, can be a quickly and easily changed by the mere replacement of a simple pattern card.

Another object of my invention is to provide electrical control mechanism which is easily adaptable for the control of a plurality of straight bar knitting machines, or the like.

Another object of my invention is to providev electrical control mechanism which is simple in design, rugged in construction, economical to manufacture, efiicient in operation and which is simple to adjust and maintain.

Other and further objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of control mechanism embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a schematic diagram of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1 together with associated apparatus.

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of a detail.

Fig. 4 is a right side view, partly in cross-section, of the detail shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a left side view, partly in cross-section, showing a detail of the stepping mechanism.

In the embodiment chosen for purpose of illustration the panel which is made of insulatingmaterialand is mounted in a cabinet 11, is provided with a plurality of contact bars 12 of electrically conducting material imbedded therein, one or more such bars being provided for each motor, solenoid or switch to be controlled, as indicated generally by the letters M and S in Fig. 2.

Over the contact bars 12 is fastened a pattern card 13 which is perforated, as shown at 14, in order to permit selective contact with the contact bars 12 by means. of contact fingers 15' which are carried by a control carriage 16. The pattern card 13 is of course. made, of non conducting material to insulate the fingers 15 from thebars 12 except where the fingers extend through the perforations. The. contact fingers 15 are made of Phosphor bronze or other springy, electrical conducting material, and are biased to press against the pattern card 13 and the contact bars 12in a manner to be more fully described hereinafter.

The control carriage 16 is slidably mounted upon upright slide rods 17, 17'. The slide rod 17 is fixedly mounted to panel 10, whereas slide rod 17 is journaled for rotation through. slip clutch 18 which is electrically operated. by solenoid 19, for driving movement by means of electric motor 20.

When the slide rod 17 isrotated, it drives through miter gear 21, which is mounted on the upper end thereof, and thence through miter gear 21 which is mounted on horizontal drive shaft 22to operate ladder chains 23, 23 which run over driving sprockets 24, 24, respectively, mounted on opposite ends of shaft 22, and around idler sprockets 25, 25, respectively. The control carriage 16 is connected to ladder chains 23, 23 by brackets 26, 26, respectively, so as to be raised thereby. As the carriage is raised, the pulley 27 on shaft 22 unreels the cable 28 which is wound thereabout and to which the counterweight 29 is attached, the loading ofthe counterweight being adjustable to more or less. balance the weight of the control carriage 16. However, counterbalance weight 29 is never weighted sufiiciently to overcome entirely the weight of the movable carriage, inasmuch as this carriage is designed to move downward. by the pull of gravity. Upward movement of the carriage 16 is stopped when the stop arm SOthereon strikes the switch 31 which is fixed to the panel '10 and electrically connected in the operating circuit by solenoid 19.

The carriage 16 is movable downwardly in definite steps by means of solenoid 32 which is suspended on the carriage by means of thepents 32' and is connected through Bowden wire 33 to one end of pivoted lever 34 which isprovided on its opposite end with a finger 35 which. engages the pin 36 on the double, ended pawl 37.

The pawl 37 is pivotally mounted on one end of the carriage 36 and is biased by means of spring 38 into engagement with ratchet rack 39 which is afiixed to the panel 10.

The contact fingers 15 are spaced along a contact finger head 40 on which they are held at one end by a bar 41 atfixed: thereto by means of cap screws 42. The head 40 is supported on brackets 43 which are clamped to rock shaft 44 which is journaled on. the carriage 16. The reason .for this particular mounting is so. thatthe contact fingers .15 can be swung clear of the pattern card when the car- -riage16 is to be raised to the starting position. For this .operatively connected to solenoid 52, the electrical circuit of which is connected for energization with solenoid 19 and motor 20. Sleeve 47 isbiased by torsion spring 53 to. hold cam 48 in an inoperative position until the tension. of the spring is overcome by the action of solenoid 52. Normally the contact fingers 15 are biased against the pattern card 13 by means of spring 54 which has one end anchored to a stud 55' on the carriage 16 and the other tion, Serial No. 294,804, or any having one or more motors, solenoids, or switches, designated generally as and lvF which it is desired to control in relation to the operation of such machine in order to regulate the operation according to a predetermined pattern. The cam operated switch 58 is connected to impart one impulse to my electrical control mechanism for each revolution of the cam C," the switch 58 being operated in response to actuation by the cam follower 59.

The impulse sent from the switch 58 is received into the counter 60 where it is selectively used to control either the counter mechanism or the carriage 16. That is to say, if one or more of the rotary switches 60, 60", 60 has been energized through a contact finger 15 falling into engagement with the associated contact bar 12 through a perforation 14 in the pattern card 13, an impulse from the switch 53 will merely cause the counter 60 to operate through the desired count for the impulses from switch 58 until the count has been completed and then the impulse will be connected through the counter 60 to operate solenoid 32 to stop the movable carriage 16 downward one step. The rotary switches in the counter 60 are of well known construction commonly found in machine switching telephone systems and the like. Ordinarily, the counter 60 will be located in the back of cabinet 11, and the separate illustration in Fig. 2

has been used only for convenience.

If no count has been set up by the energization of the counter 60 as above set forth, then each impulse from the main control switch 58 will immediately index the movable carriage 16 downwardly one notch. As pre- U viously pointed out, the carriage 16 is arranged to slide on shafts 17, 17', and the downward indexing of the carriage is controlled through ratchet rack 39 and the double ended pawl 37. This pawl is mounted on one side of the movable carriage and will hold the carriage in an indexed position when the carriage is at rest. The top end of the pawl hooks onto a tooth of the ratchet rack and is held normally in this position by spring 38. Lever 34 is arranged to pull out the upper end of pawl 37 from the tooth in the ratchet rack, by engaging stud 36, which will cause the lower end of pawl 37 to engage another tooth in the ratchet rack. When lever 34 is actuated through Bowden wire 33 it will move the pawl as described, indexing the movable carriage downwardly approximately one-half an index, since the lower end of pawl 37 is dimensioned one-half a tooth more than the normal tooth centers. When the pawl is spring returned upon the release of lever 34, the movable carriage 16 will drop another one-half an index, since the upper end of the pawl will then engage a tooth in the ratchet rack one tooth lower than its former position. This principle of indexing the carriage is similar to a clock escapement.

To recapitulate, the movable carriage 16 has mounted on it a series of Phosphor bronze contact fingers 15, at least one being provided for each of the electrical circuits to be controlled. These fingers are arranged to drop into perforations 14 in the pattern card 13, at a predetermined time, to make electrical contact with bars 12. The pattern card can be made of any insulating material such as a laminated phenolic condensate product, or any insulating material that has suitable dielectric qualities. It will be observed that the pattern card shown in Fig. 1 does not extend the full length of the bars 12. The length of the pattern card is determined by the number of steps in the operation to be controlled. It will be apparent that if the number of steps were so numerous that a long pattern card would be necessitated, this card might be divided into sections which could easily be replaced to change the pattern without changing other sections of the pattern card which it was desired to have remain the same. The contact bars 12 are made of copper, or of a material having good electrical conductivity, and are arranged on the panel which is made of an insulating material. These bars are fixed to the panel in close proximity to each other, in order to conserve space, one bar being provided for each contact finger on the movable carriage. However, each bar is insulated from every other bar, so that a wire can be attached to the bar and an electrical circuit completed through a contact finger and the bar connected to any particular electrically operated apparatus to be controlled. The contact finger head 40 and the movable carriage 16 are made of metal, and the head 40 has the fingers fixed directly in the metal, so that the movable carriage forms the ground or common wire connection for the circuits controlled by the bars. Suitable voltages are applied for operating relays (not shown) in the control circuits of the various motors M and solenoids S and other de sired pieces of electrical equipment to control the cycle of operation of the machine connected to my control mechanism.

Solenoid 32 is mounted on the movable carriage and is energized from the main control switch 58 when it is desired to index the movable carriage. This solenoid operates Bowden wire 33 which in turn operates the double ended pawl 37 through lever 34. The operation of solenoid 32 is selective when coordinated with counter 60. The counter 60 is composed of a plurality of rotary swithces and relays so arranged that any predetermined count can be made within the limits of the counter. By perforating the proper holes in the pattern card 13, a predetermined count can be set up so that the counter will step through this cycle; and at the end of the count, will send an impulse to the solenoid 32 which will index the movable carriage one index for each revolution of the main cam C until another relay is desired and the suitable perforations are made in the pattern card.

From the foregoing, it can be seen that for each revolution of the main cam C, an impulse is transmitted through switch 58 which either operates the counter or the movable carriage, depending upon the requirement. If no count is set up on the pattern card, then the circuit is clear for the impulse from switch 58 to operate the movable carriage. If it is desired to delay the movable carriage for a predetermined count, this count is set up on the pattern card and when the fingers fall into the perforations for the count, the circuit from the switch 58 to the solenoid 32 is interrupted by the counter 60, stopping the carriage until the count is completed. When no change is required in the function of the machine being controlled, it is desirable to delay the indexing of the movable carriage 16 until such a change is needed, thus greatly conserving the length of pattern card 13 necessary to control the particular machine. At the end of the working cycle of the machine being controlled, the movable carriage 16 is automatically returned to the starting position through the retracting motor 20, solcnoid operated clutch 18, and the finger lifting mechanism operated by solenoid 52. When the solenoid 52 is energized the contact fingers are lifted from the pattern card, so that the motor 20 driving through clutch it) rotates shaft 17 which, in turn, and through miter gears 21, 21, rotates shaft 22. Ladder chain drive 23 is fixed to shaft 22 which, when rotated, will raise the movable carriage 16 toward the top of the panel 10. When the carriage has reached its upper, or starting position, arm 30 will contact limit switch 31 to release the clutch 191. stop the motor 20 and de-energize solenoid 52, thereby returning the contact fingers 15 onto the pattern card. In retracting the carriage, the pawl 37 will skip over the teeth of the ratchet rack 39, and as soon as the clutch 18 is released this pawl 37 is automatically in position for holding. The control mechanism is then ready for the next cycle of operation.

Having thus described my control mechanism, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that many modifications and changes can be made without departing from the scope of my invention as defined in the following claims.

I claim: v g

1. Electrical control mechanism comprising a panel, electrical contacts mounted on, saidv panel, a carriage mounted for movement adjacent said contacts, contact fingers carried by said carriage and biased for engagement with said contacts, a pattern card interposed be tween said contacts and certain of said contact fingers, said card being perforated according to a predetermined pattern to govern the contacting of said fingers with said contacts, and means utilizing the weight of said carriage for advancing said carriage step-by-step along said con tacts.

2. Electrical control mechanism comprising a panel, electrical contacts mounted on said panel, acarriage mounted for movement adjacent said contacts, contact fingers carried by said carriage and biased for engagement with said contacts, a pattern card interposed between said contacts and certain of said contact fingers, said card being perforated according to a predetermined pattern to govern the contacting of said fingers with said contacts, means utilizing the weight of saidcarriage for advancing saidcarriage step-by-stepfrom a starting position along said contacts, and means operatively connected to said carriage for returning said carriage to said starting position.

3. Electrical control mechanism comprising a panel, electrical contacts mounted on said panel, a carriage mounted for movement adjacent said contacts, contact fingers carried by said carriage and biased for engagement with said contacts, a pattern. card interposed between said contacts and certain of saidcontact fingers, said card being perforated according to a predetermined pattern to govern the contacting of said fingers with said contacts, means for advancing said carriage step-by-step from a starting position along said contacts, and means operatively connected to said carriage for lifting said contact fingers from said pattern card and returning said carriage to said starting position.

4. Mechanism for controlling a plurality of pieces of electrical apparatus comprising a panel, electrical con- 1 tacts mounted on said panel, at least one such contact be ing provided for each said piece of electrical apparatus, a carriage mounted for movement adjacent said contacts, contact fingers carried by said carriage and biased for engagement with said contacts, a pattern card interposed between said contacts and said contact fingers, said card being perforated according to a predetermined pattern to govern the contacting of said contacts by said fingers to selectively control the completion of electrical circuits for the operation of said pieces of electrical apparatus,

step-by-step means for advancing said carriage from a starting point along said pattern card, and a signal generator connected to supply an impulse to said step-bystep means to advance said carriage along said pattern card.

5. Mechanism for controlling a plurality of pieces of electrical apparatus comprising a panel, electrical contacts mounted on said panel, at least one such contact being provided for each said piece of electrical apparatus, a carriage mounted for movement adjacent said contacts, contact fingers carried by said carriage and biased for engagement with said contacts, a pattern card interposed between said contacts and said contact fingers, said card being perforated according to a predetermined pattern to govern the contacting of said contacts by said fingers to selectively control the completion of electrical circuits for the operation of said pieces of electrical apparatus, step-by-step means for advancing said carriage from a starting point alon said pattern card, a signal generator connected to supply an impulse to said step-by-step means to advance said carriage along said pattern card, and counter mechanism selectively excited by contact of certain of said fingers with certain of said contacts to interrupt the connection of said signal generator to said stepby-step means for a predetermined impulse count by said counter mechanism.

6,. Mechanism for controlling a plurality of pieces of electrical apparatus comprising a panel, electrical contacts mounted, on said panel, at least one such contact being provided for each said piece of electrical apparatus, a carriage mounted for movement adjacent said contacts, contact fingers carried by said carriage and biased for engagement With said contacts, a pattern card interposed between said contacts and said contact fingers, said card being perforated according to a predetermined pattern to govern the contacting of said contacts by said fingers to selectively control the completion of electrical circuits for the operation of said pieces of electrical apparatus, step-by-step means for advancing said carriage from a starting point along said pattern card, a signal generator connected to supply an impulse to said step-by-step means to advance said carriage along said pattern card, and counter mechanism arranged to interrupt the connection of said signal generator to said step-by-step means for a predetermined impulse count by said counter mechanism, and means operatively connected to said carriage for returning said carriage to said starting position in response to an impulse from said signal generator.

7. Mechanism for controlling a plurality of pieces of electrical apparatus comprising a panel, electrical contacts mounted on said panel, at least one such contact being provided for each said piece of electrical apparatus, a carriage mounted for movement adjacent said contacts, contact fingers carried by said carriage and biased for engagement with said contacts, a pattern card interposed between said contacts and said contact fingers, said card being perforated according to a predetermined pattern to govern the contacting of said contacts by said fingers to selectively control the completion of electrical circuits for the operation of said pieces of electrical apparatus, stepby-step means for advancing said carriage from a starting point along said pattern card, a signal generator connected to supply an impulse to said step-by-step means to advance said carriage along said pattern card, counter mechanism selectively excited by contact of certain of said fingers with certain of said contacts to interrupt the connection of said signal generator to said step-by-step means for a predetermined impulse count by said counter mechanism, and means operatively connected to said carriage for returning said carriage to said starting position in response to an impulse from said signal generator.

8. Mechanism for controlling a plurality of pieces of electrical apparatus comprising a substantially vertical panel, electrical contact bars mounted vertically on said panel, at least one such bar being provided for each said piece of electrical apparatus, a carriage mounted for movement adjacent said bars, contact fingers carried by said carriage and biased for engagement with said bars, a pattern card interposed between said bars and said contact fingers, said card being perforated according to a predetermined pattern to govern the contacting of said bars by said fingers to selectively control the completion of electrical circuits for the operation of said pieces of electrical apparatus, step-by-step means including a solenoid operated ratchet for advancing said carriage downwardly along said pattern card by means of gravity, a signal generator connected to supply an impulse to said solenoid to advance said carriage along said pattern card, counter mechanism selectively excited by contact of certain of said fingers with certain of said contact bars to interrupt the connection of said signal generator to said solenoid for a predetermined impulse count by said counter mechanism, and means operatively connected to said carriage for returning said carriage to said starting position in response to an impulse from said signal generator.

9. Mechanism for controlling a machine operated by a plurality of pieces of electrical apparatus comprising pattern forming mechanism connected to selectively control the completion of electrical circuits for the operation of said pieces of electrical apparatus, a signal generator actuated by said machine and connected to supply an impulse to said pattern forming mechanism to actuate the same,

7 and counter mechanism selectively excited to interrupt the connection of said signal generator to said pattern forming mechanism for a predetermined impulse count by said counter mechanism.

10. Mechanism for controlling a machine operated by a plurality of pieces of electrical apparatus comprising pattern forming mechanism connected to selectively control the completion of electrical circuits for the operation of said pieces of electrical apparatus, a signal generator responsive to said machine and connected to supply an impulse to said pattern forming mechanism to actuate the same, counter mechanism selectively excited to interrupt the connection of said signal generator to said pattern forming mechanism for a predetermined impulse count by said counter mechanism, and means operatively connected to said pattern forming mechanism for returning said pattern forming mechanism to its starting position upon the completion of a cycle of operation of said machine.

11. Mechanism for controlling a machine operated by a plurality of pieces of electrical apparatus comprising pattern forming mechanism connected to selectively control the completion of electrical circuits for the operation of said pieces of electrical apparatus, a signal generator responsive to said machine and connected to supply an impulse to said pattern forming mechanism to actuate the same, counter mechanism selectively excited to interrupt the connection of said signal generator to said pattern forming mechanism for a predetermined impulse count by said counter mechanism, and means operatively connected to said pattern forming mechanism for returning said pattern forming mechanism to its starting position in response to an impulse from said signal generator upon the completion of a cycle of operation of said machine.

12. Mechanism for controlling a machine operated by a plurality of pieces of electrical apparatus comprising a panel, electrical contacts mounted on said panel, a carriage mounted for movement adjacent said contacts, contact fingers carried by said carriage and biased for engagement with said contacts, a pattern card interposed between said contacts and said contact fingers, said card being perforated according to a predetermined pattern to govern the contacting of said contacts by said fingers to selectively control the completion of electrical circuits for the operation of said pieces of electrical apparatus, stepby-step means for advancing said carriage from a starting point along said pattern card, a signal. generator responsive to said machine and connected to supply an impulse to said step-by-step means to advance said carriage along said pattern card, counter mechanism selectively excited to interrupt the connection of said signal generator to said step-by-step means for a predetermined impulse count by said counter mechanism, and means operatively connected to said carriage for returning said carriage to said starting position in response to an impulse from said signal generator upon the completion of a cycle of operation of said machine.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,144,033 Root Jan. 17, 1939 2,324,474 Appel July 20,- 1943 2,377,762 Daly June 5, 1945 

